Help Haitian Families Rise From Poverty to Dignity

Thanks to you, families in Beyond Borders’ Family Graduation Program are not only building new lives beyond extreme poverty—they’re sustaining those gains, even in the face of immense challenges.

As the sixth cohort of 160 families on Lagonav Island nears the end of their 24-month journey, the results are nothing short of remarkable—and it’s all possible because of you.

What Your Support Has Made Possible

Because of your generosity and the determination of families in the program:

• 100% now have a sanitary latrine
  
  
• 97% are free from hunger and malnutrition
  
  
• 96% have access to clean, safe drinking water
  
  
• 94% have all school-aged children enrolled in school
  
  
• 94% now have a government-issued ID
  
  
• 85% have opened savings accounts
  

These life-changing milestones point to long-term transformation—healthier families, safer children, and stronger communities. You’ve walked alongside these families every step of the way, and we are so grateful.

Water Access: A Game-Changer

This year, every one of the 160 families will receive a rainwater catchment system for their home—thanks to you, our family sponsors, and support from the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

These systems eliminate the need for long, daily walks—usually by children, especially girls—to fetch water. Each system includes:

• Gutters that collect rainwater
  
  
• A large storage tank for cooking, cleaning, and watering gardens
  
  
• A water filter to ensure drinking water is safe
  

For many families, this is the first time they’ve had reliable water access at home. It keeps kids—especially girls—in school and gives parents the time and tools they need to build a better life. Thank you for making this possible.

Staying on Track—and Reaching Back

Beyond Borders doesn’t just help families rise—we make sure they stay out of poverty. That’s why we track eight key metrics using a real-time tool called Impact Atlas. Every week, caseworkers update family records with progress, photos, and notes. The metrics include:

• Food security
  
  
• Water and sanitation
  
  
• School attendance
  
  
• Social inclusion
  
  
• Savings
  
  
• Child reunification
  
  
• Future planning
  

Because of this ongoing support and close monitoring, 74% of the 560 families who completed the program in past years remain stable or are continuing to improve—even amid rising insecurity, inflation, and climate shocks. That retention rate is on par with global success rates for programs like this—and in Haiti’s current context, it’s especially encouraging.

When Setbacks Happen, We Respond

We also know some families—123 to be exact—have faced serious setbacks. Some lost homes or income. We’re not turning away. A new initiative is underway to re-engage these families, just as we keep walking alongside the families currently enrolled.

Your support makes this kind of long-term, adaptive approach possible.

You're Invited: Take a Closer Look at Impact

We’d love to show you how we’re tracking families’ progress in real time. Please join us for a special session:
Wednesday, June 25th at 12 noon ET
Hosted by Brian Stevens with special guest Freda Catheus
Want to join? Just email us and we’ll send you the Zoom link: b.stevens@beyondborders.net

From the very beginning, you’ve believed in this work. You’ve believed in the power of Haitian families to transform their lives—and in the importance of standing with them in solidarity.

Thank you for making this possible. We can’t wait to share what’s next.

Links:

• Join us on June 25 @ 12 pm ET for a look at Impact Atlas
• Visit our website for the latest updates from Haiti.
• Sign up for a Virtual Tour of our work in Haiti.

You Are Helping Families to Persevere and Thrive Despite Tough Times

Thank you again for how you responded to the hardships that our Haitian sisters and brothers faced in 2024. I am grateful for your generous support for Beyond Borders’ “Help Haitian Families Rise From Poverty to Dignity” project on GlobalGiving.

You could have turned away when confronted by the seemingly endless reports of violence, kidnappings, and chaos in Haiti. Instead, through your generous support for Beyond Borders' Family Sponsorship Program, you are helping families to not only persevere but thrive during these very difficult days. 

I’m so moved by this.

I know that there are so, so many families that have broken the generational cycle of extreme poverty and can now see a brighter future because of family sponsors like you.

And there’s no way to even begin to express our gratitude for the courageous and committed everyday heroes we are honored to work with in Haiti.

You Create Hope in 2025

Haiti is not a lost cause -- and your unwavering support for the Family Graduation Program proves that you believe this too. Thank you for standing with Haiti and her people in 2024. Your support creates hope for 2025.

I hope you have a sense of the life-changing impact that you are having on families in this sixth cohort. They are on-track to graduate next fall and permanently escape extreme poverty, thanks to your sponsorship.

As the security situation in Port-au-Prince worsened last year, places like rural Lagonav Island began to feel the impact. Imports of goods from the mainland stopped, driving up the cost of food and fuel, and banks either closed or began limiting withdrawals.

In these difficult moments, your family sponsorship is making all the difference, giving families the tools they need to navigate the economic effects of the seemingly unending political crisis. 

When families in this current cohort graduate in 2025 they will be the sixth and largest-ever cohort to successfully complete the 24-month program -- under extremely trying conditions.

Even so, the 160 families in this cohort are collectively expected to achieve or exceed the 95 percent and higher graduation rate of cohorts before them -- and maintain the economic and social gains they've made long after their graduation. (See the links section of this report for a Science magazine review of the Graduation model).

Results like this under such challenging circumstances simply wouldn’t be possible without your steadfast commitment to our shared mission and the unrelenting efforts of our team in Haiti.

Looking ahead to the new year, your continued solidarity will be more crucial than ever. Your generosity in 2025 will expand rigorously tested and proven work, reaching more families trapped in extreme poverty to bring hope and connection where there is currently fear and isolation.

I’m deeply grateful for your solidarity with families and to have you as part of the Beyond Borders family. Thank you for your trust, your generosity, and your belief in our shared mission.

Case Workers are the Backbone of the Family Graduation Program

Case workers are the backbone of the Family Graduation Program, offering crucial support to guide families out of extreme poverty. Your steadfast solidarity enables them to walk alongside these families throughout their journey.

On Lagonav Island, where 160 families are working to overcome extreme poverty as members of the Family Graduation Program’s sixth cohort, Jilande Joseph takes the lead in accompanying them. Her days are purposeful and dynamic.

Every morning, Jilande sets out on her dirt bike, equipped with her tablet, to visit families across the eastern tip of the island. She organizes her visits by location, to maximize efficiency. At each home, she engages in heartfelt conversations with families.

“I make it a priority to visit every family weekly to build trust,” Jilande said. “We sit together, discussing all aspects of their lives. I record their responses on my tablet, which makes it possible to track each family’s progress toward graduation.”

A native of Lagonav Island and mother of two, Jilande taught school for five years and co-led Child Rights Training in her community before joining Beyond Borders’ Family Graduation Program.

“I’m available around the clock to support families in need, whether arranging medical care or teaching water treatment methods,” Jilande said.

Two criteria families must meet before graduating is to have three reliable sources of income and a savings account. Jilande helps families manage their income-generating assets and encourages them to join local savings and loans organized by Beyond Borders.

“I take pride in empowering my neighbors. My goal is to see them thrive and live with dignity and independence,” Jilande said.

Thank you for helping to make Jilande’s work possible!

You are Ensuring the Long-Term Success of Families in Haiti.

We are committed to ensuring that every family that graduates from Beyond Borders Family Graduation Program is able to maintain the gains they make thanks to the support of people like you.

To that end, in late 2024, our colleague Freda Catheus, co-coordinator of our Model Community Initiative on Lagonav Island, began visiting Family Graduation Program graduates to assess how they are doing and what strategic investments Beyond Borders can make to ensure their continued success.

So far, Freda's met with 390 families from the previous five cohorts, and her findings will guide next steps, such as additional training and capital for Village Savings and Loans, support for families facing economic hardships as a result of Haiti's ongoing political crisis, and helping families make repairs to their homes or resolve conflicts with landowners.

All 160 families in the current cohort will benefit from this kind of longer-term monitoring and evaluation after they graduate too, ensuring that they continue to thrive despite Haiti's persistent challenges.

Thank you for your generous support of them!

Thank you Again!

Your generosity and your solidarity is empowering families to overcome extreme poverty, gain financial independence, and transform their lives for good.

If you have any questions about what you read here, please contact Brian Stevens, Engagement Director, at (305) 450-2561 or b.stevens@beyondborders.net.

Links:

• Science: A multifaceted program causes lasting progress for poor
• Get the latest on our work in Haiti on our website
• We've earned a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator